Defending rape victims for being prosecuted

I investigated into the reasons why rape victims were being prosecuted for adultery in Afghanistan, interviewing 30 judges, lawyers and professors from Kabul and the provinces.

Judges and I pored over classical Islamic jurisprudence on the issue. Many later conceded and agreed that it was wrong, under Islamic law, to prosecute a rape victim who had reported but failed to prove her rape.

Later, I wrote my Bachelor and Master thesis on this topic, specialising on prosecution of rape and sexual violence in Afghan and international courts.

I then trained lawyers to defend victims of rape and secure their release from prison. Lawyers quickly secured 19 releases within 6 months.

Over the years, civil society led several campaigns on the issue. In February 2018, the state passed a law (the new penal code) to prohibit the prosecution of rape victims.

"I had to run away", Human Rights Watch, 28 March 2012.